DESCRIPTION: Up to 10mm in length. A tidy little hoverfly that is broadly-built, with a blackish-brown appearance and with the third segment of the antennae entirely orange. Other features to look for are the black hairs on the eyes, the low facial knob, the shiny sternites and the dark ring around the pale hind tibia. BEHAVIOUR: Adults visit a variety of flowers including Ragworts, Dandelions and yellow composites. The larvae develop in the stem bases and two generations occur each year. DISTRIBUTION: Found mainly in south-east England but this species is spreading and moving northwards. HABITAT: Woodland rides, hedgerows, field margins and brownfield sites. PERIOD: On the wing from June to October.